Winds of Time
by TrixieNancy124
Summary: Based off the episode I Hate The Eighties. Boogie Gus' ray gun malfunctions, sending Sam, Clover and Alex travelling through time and struggling to find a way back home. Fic prompt by retro mania. COMPLETED
1. Chapter 1

A/N: New story again haha. :) This is a fic request by retro mania, I hope you guys will enjoy it!

**Winds of Time**

Chapter 1

* * *

The fight was on.

W.O.O.H.P superspies Sam, Clover and Alex pulled with all their might at a yellow ray gun that was currently in the hands of a criminal by the name of Boogie Gus. Said criminal had created the ray gun which could turn people younger, and wear the fashion of the 80s.

Boogie Gus hung onto his precious device for dear life. But what was one man's strength against three very determined (and very strong) women? The ray gun flew out of the criminal's grasps, and into the air.

Everyone tried to catch it, but it was the athletic Alex that ultimately caught the device. "Got it!" She landed gracefully on her own two feet, the ray gun in her hands.

"Move the dial back to our normal ages Alex!" Sam cried. Without hesitation, Alex cranked the machine in her hand. It whirled to life, as Alex quickly pointed the ray gun at her boss and her friends. Bright sparks of light came out, and everyone reverted back into their normal ages before Alex's eyes.

Jerry patted his (mostly) bald head with some sadness. The short amount of time feeling twenty years younger had given him a blast of youthful energy. That, along with his once luscious blonde hair, was gone again.

Once Alex had reverted her age back to normal, the superspy confidently pointed the ray gun at Boogie Gus and his cronies. The villains cringed away from the device immediately, instinctively shielding their eyes and faces.

Alex made sure that the trio were also back to their normal ages, before she grinned in triumph. Locking gazes with Boogie Gus the whole time, the superspy dropped the device on the ground. It shattered into a few parts.

"That was not cool!" Boogie Gus deadpanned. Any response was drowned out by the whirling sound of an approaching helicopter. Everyone looked up simultaneously, and Boogie Gus cleverly made use of the distraction to make his escape.

Jerry was quick to give chase, but he wasn't fast enough. A rope ladder was lowered from the helicopter. Grabbing onto the ladder, Boogie Gus and his two henchmen smirked.

"I should have known… My evil brother is behind all of this." Jerry caught the eye of the person flying the helicopter. A person with eyes the same shade as his own.

"Err…girls?" Amidst all the chaos, Sam's ears picked up a high pitched rumbling sound. The three girls stared uncertainly at the ground where Boogie Gus' ray gun was. The high pitched noise was coming from it. Suddenly, a ray began to glow from the nozzle of the gun. Stunned at what they were witnessing, the girls were rooted to their spot.

"Jerry!" The head of W.O.O.H.P heard Alex's cry. He turned around just in time to see a bright light engulfed his spies. When the light died away, Sam, Clover and Alex were no where to be seen.

"Oh my…"Jerry murmured, his face turning ashen within seconds. "This is a problem…"

* * *

**Los Angeles, 1945**

The cornfield was dark and deserted. A warm breeze blew. The silence of the night was only accompanied by the creaking of an old, wooden gate.

Suddenly, three figures tumbled out of nowhere and landed in a tangled heap on the ground.

"Sammie! You are squishing my arm!" Sam registered Clover's voice whining in complaint from beneath her. It was so dark that the redhead could barely make out the silhouette belonging to her friend.

"Opps, sorry Clover." Sam replied apologetically. It took a while, but the girls got themselves disentangled from the heap.

"Eww…what is that?" Alex brushed off the dirt from the cornfield from her clothing. They were still clad in their eighties style clothing.

"More importantly, where are we?" Sam looked around. There appeared to be no one else around but them. Hesitantly, her hand reached out to touch the many crops growing around them. "I know this feeling… We're in a…cornfield?" The memories of the time where they had a mission in a cornfield tumbled through her mind.

While Sam tried to deduce their location, Clover fumbled in her pocket for her X-Powder. She frowned as she turned it on, for all she saw was nothing. "There is no signal here…" The blonde told her friends in disappointment. Clover had hoped that they would be able to contact Jerry and be out of here. She was tired, dirty, feeling out of fashion, and on the overall, grumpy.

Sam and Alex tried their own X-Powders too, but to no avail. Nothing was working, which was a big sign that something was not right. W.O.O.H.P's X-Powders were programmed with a global signalling system.

"This IS weird. We should explore more and see what we can find." Alex supplied. There was a silent agreement, and the girls began the slow navigation out of the cornfield. Without any gadgets or even a flashlight (they would really need to talk to Jerry on upgrading some of the functions of their X-Powders), progress was slow. But finally, the trio found the creaky gate and were out of the cornfield.

"Now to figure out where exactly we are. The last thing I remembered was Boogie Gus' ray gun…" Clover casted a distasteful look at her current outfit. In the distance, the girls could make out the shape of a building, and started their trek towards it.

"Yeah me too…" Sam paused in mid-sentence, as if trying to collect her thoughts. "There was a flash of light…And the next thing I know, we're here. Wherever here is. The gadget must have malfunctioned."

"What's that?" As they neared what appeared to be a farmhouse, a weak beam of light suddenly caught Alex's attention. On instinct, the spies crouched down, hiding themselves in the shadows. They watched as the beam of light came closer. A figure crept towards the porch. After many years of fighting crime (and their own studies in college), the girls were more than familiar with criminal behaviour. Whoever that was about two metres away, was most definitely acting suspiciously.

_Is he trying to break in? _Alex thought while she watched the figure disappear to the back of the house. The three superspies shared a momentary look of understanding before moving to follow the figure. They were superspies; no way would they stand around and watch someone be burgled.

The girls found the figure standing in front of what appeared to be a chicken coop, fiddling with the latch on the door. Under the glow of the moonlight, they could see a sack lying at his feet. It didn't take the spies very long to figure out what the person's plan was.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing!" Startled by Clover's sudden exclamation, the figure literally jumped. The weak beam of the torchlight was directed at the spies. Alex shielded her eyes from the light, but she could now tell that the intruder was a boy. A rather lanky teenager rather.

Knowing he had been caught, the boy dropped his torch and attempted to to make a break for it. Sam, who was the closest, reacted on instinct and went after him. He was fast, but he didn't have the training that the girls had.

"Oh no you don't." Sam caught up to him swiftly before he could reach the front porch. The redhead pinned his arms behind him. Despite his struggles, Sam held firmly on. Alex and Clover were next to them a second later to stand guard. If this teenager made any sudden movements, the girls would stop him in a heartbeat.

"Thought you could get away with stealing huh?" Clover said with raised brows. Lights were beginning to come on in the house. Looks like all the ruckus had roused the owners.

A minute or so later, a head peeped out from the kitchen door. "What's going on here?" It was a young woman about the girls' age, carrying a torchlight of her own. She was decked in a dressing gown, her shoulder length blonde hair tied in two braids.

"We found him trying to steal from your chicken coop." Alex explained. Sam urged the teenager forward, until they were standing in front of the owner of the house.

"Danny?" The female recoiled in disbelievement upon noticing the teenager. "What's going on?" She glanced at the three spies suspiciously.

The teenager named Danny was shaking. "I'm sorry Margaret…I didn't want to. But my father…he's so sick…And little Joan…She can't sleep because she's hungry…" Danny admitted, his head hung low.

Something tugged at the three spies' heartstrings. They had always lived in the city, so hunger and starvation were something that they never experienced before. However, looking at the thin, hungry and desperate teenager, the spies felt sorry for him.

Clearly, the owner of the house Margaret felt something too. She closed her eyes for a moment and exhaled shakily. "I'll send some corn, eggs and a chicken over tomorrow. I promise. Go home Danny." There was disappointment, but also sympathy in her voice. Alex had a feeling that this wasn't the first time she was doing this.

Sam released the teenager from her tight grasp. Danny rubbed his arms to get the circulation back, before disappearing into the night.

The owner of the house, Margaret, sighed heavily once more, before turning to address the three spies. "And what business do you three have for being on my property?" She asked with a cock of her head.

Sam, Clover and Alex exchanged glances, before Alex spoke. "We've got lost actually. We were coming here to ask for directions, or to use your phone."

At that, Margaret actually snorted. "No chance with the phone thing. It hasn't been working since Monday." She appraised the strangers before her with a critical eye, taking in their tired eyes and strange clothing. Her brown eyes softened somewhat. "I'll tell you what, I'm not the kind to send three girls out in the middle of the night. It's not safe even for a country girl like myself, lest the three of you. Why don't you girls come on in and stay the night?"

"Oh we couldn't possibly intrude…" Sam shook her head.

"Please, don't think of it that way. It is not safe out there." Margaret repeated, opening her kitchen door wider. The three superspies shared another look. Margaret had a point there. They were all completely knackered from the Boogie Gus case. For them to navigate the dark night in this state was not a wise idea.

"Thank you." Clover told the other blonde woman gratefully as she and her friends stepped into the kitchen.

Margaret smiled tiredly, closing the door behind them. "It's no problem. Have a seat." She gestured to the kitchen table. Gratefully, Sam, Clover and Alex sank their tired bodies into the wooden chairs. Alex couldn't help but admire her surroundings. The kitchen was big and had a vintage feel. Even the pots and pans looked ancient. But most importantly, the place was homey.

"You have a nice kitchen. I haven't seen such a vintage stovetop in ages." Alex commented kindly, just as their host handed them each a glass of water.

An odd look passed Margaret's face. Nonetheless, she still smiled graciously. "Thanks I guess…My mother decorated it."

"So…Could you let us know where we are?" Sam said.

"Certainly." Margaret straightened up. "Welcome to the town of Oakwood, West Los Angeles."

"Oakwood?" Clover spluttered. She had heard of this town before, and heck, the spies all have been to Oakwood town for several missions in the past. But Clover couldn't remember there being a cornfield and a house like this the last time they've been here. Alex cocked her head to the side in confusion too, clearly recognising the name of the town.

"How far West are we did you say?" Sam jumped in, silencing Clover with a look. Her mind was spinning as some historical knowledge from school nagged at the back of her mind.

"About an hour West from the city centre." Margaret said.

* * *

**Later… **

"This is so weird…" After Margaret had kindly showed her three guests into a well-furnished guest bedroom and bid them a good night, Clover began to pace up and down. "I don't remember there being a house like this, or a cornfield in Oakwood."

"Neither do I…" Alex agreed. "Perhaps it is in another corner of the town? We were quite busy chasing after the criminal the last time we were here."

"And there is STILL no signal on my X-Powder." Clover sat on the bed with a huff. "What kind of house doesn't have Internet connection these days?"

Sam had just finished freshening herself up in the bathroom (which was as vintage as the rest of the house). She sighed as she sat on the edge of the bed. "It is fishy. But I've heard of the name Oakfield before…In my AP History Class I think…But I can't remember what about it…."

"It's like this house is stuck in the past or something." Clover complained, shuddering as she recalled how weird it was to use the facilities. She took a delicate sniff of the air. "Ugh. And I smell of sweat and corn."

As if a switch had been activated, Sam's head snapped up at Clover's words. "That's it. Oakfield was a leading corn producer up till the 1960s."

"What about now then?" Alex asked, rubbing her temples.

Sam struggled to hold back a yawn. "I don't know. But I'm too tired to even think right now." The redhead plopped herself on one side of the large bed. "We can figure this out in the morning." Sam's yawn triggered similar reactions in Clover and Alex too, as the weight of the day truly got to them. Without another word, the girls crawled into bed and settled for some well-deserved rest.

* * *

**Meanwhile**

**Present Day (2005) **

"So let me get this straight. You saw a burst of light from this weapon, and then the girls vanished?" Linda, the head of W.O.O.H.P's Weapon Creations Department, looked squarely at her boss. Her gloved hands were fingering whatever left over parts of the ray gun Jerry could salvage from the scene.

Jerry nodded for the umpteen time, raking his hands through his already thinning hair. "That's what I saw yes."

"Was the ray a glaring white? Or more of a shimmery colour? Was it strong or weak?" Linda continued to pepper her boss with questions while she analysed each piece of the weapon critically.

The head of W.O.O.H.P paused to think for a moment. "More of a glaring white. And it was strong. Strong enough to blind me for a moment. I thought for sure Alex had broke the ray gun when she tossed it on the ground the first time. Looks like I was wrong…Could you figure out what happened to them?" Jerry was frazzled and worried for his spies. He had tried each of their X-Powders, but no connection could be established. With Boogie Gus having escaped with Terrence, and with no way of communicating with his spies, Jerry was beyond worried.

"I'll see what I can do." Linda said firmly.

_It's gonna be a long night. _The head of the Weapons Department thought with a sigh.

* * *

Sunlight filtered through the windows and the thin, yellow curtains. Alex winced as the light hit her face, her face scrunching up. Unwilling to get up, she moved her head away from the light source. However, Alex could never really fall asleep once she was awake. Within minutes, the superspy had reluctantly opened her eyes and sat up.

Blinking away the sleep from her eyes, Alex scanned her surroundings. Something was different. _Wasn't those curtains dark green last night…? _But now, the curtains were yellow. Glancing around the room, Alex noted subtle differences, but most things were still the same.

"Clover, Sammy. Wake up." Alex shook her friends who were still sleeping.

"Five more minutes…" Sam murmured.

"Yeah Alex… Me tired…" Clover swatted her friend's hand away.

Just as Alex was about to give up, faint baby cries reach their ears. Then, they heard the pitter-patter of feet up the stairs. The baby cries stopped after a minute.

"Is that…a baby crying?" Sam cracked an eye open.

"Margaret didn't mention there was someone else living here…" Alex trailed off, glancing uncertainly at the closed door of the room.

Clover's only response was a groan, before her baby blue eyes opened reluctantly. "Okay I'm awake. What's up Alex?"

"Look around guys. Is it me, or are the curtains different from last night?"

"What are you talking about Alex, that's absurd…" Clover whipped around, but paused when she took in the curtains. "Those were dark green, weren't they?"

"Yeah that's what I thought." Alex was glad someone else thought the same. At least it reassured her that she wasn't crazy.

"It's impossible for someone to come in and change the curtains while we were asleep." Sam said rationally. "At least, I'm pretty sure one of us would have known." Spy work had made them all rather light sleepers.

"This just keeps getting weirder and weirder…" Alex mused.

"I don't like the feeling of this place…the sooner we get out of here, the better." Clover decided.

After freshening up, the three superspies walked down the stairs to the kitchen, barefooted. They had each left their dirty shoes outside the night before, so they barely made a sound while going down the stairs.

However, Clover, who was ahead, stopped short right at the entrance of the kitchen. Alex and Sam nearly bumped into their friend. "What gives Clover?"

When Alex and Sam stared at the scene ahead of them, they couldn't help but stop in their tracks too.

By the kitchen table was a baby boy, sitting in a highchair. He had blonde curls and charming blue eyes. That was not who the girls were staring at.

Next to him was Margaret, and she was noticeably pregnant.

But there had been no baby bump when they saw her the night before.

_What on earth is going on here?_

* * *

**That' chapter 1! I hope you guys liked it. :)**

**I'm currently looking at 5 chapters for this story; it's a short one. **

**Updates for this will be sporadic though, my college term is starting again next week. Rest assured I will definitely complete the story by the end of this year. **

**Blessings to you and have a good day ahead!**

**TrixieNancy124**


	2. Chapter 2

**Winds of Time **

Chapter 2

* * *

When Margaret finally noticed the three spies, the spoon that was in her hand dropped with a clatter on the table. A hand came up to her mouth, her eyes full of disbelieve.

No one moved for a full two minutes.

Margaret stared at the spies.

The spies stared right back. Many different thoughts were swirling through each of their minds. _What on earth is going on? Margaret didn't look like this yesterday, I'm sure of it! _Alex thought, her eyes never leaving the swollen belly belonging to the owner of the house.

The moment was broken by a happy coo from the baby boy seated at the table. Margaret channelled her gaze to the baby. "Oh Johnathon." She admonished gently, cleaning up the remains of his breakfast from his mouth. There was clear adoration and love in her eyes. Once she was done, Margaret stood up and strode over to the three spies.

"We need to talk." Her no-nonsense tone was firm. Up close, Sam could see that Margaret looked different from the night before. She looked older, and more matured. Her face was thinner, there were bags under her eyes, and there was a wedding band on her left hand. Everything was so surreal and different.

Before any of the spies could reply, Margaret had launched in a rant. "You girls have some nerve, coming back here. I let you stay for one night, and the next morning, you are gone. Without a trace. Without even a word of thanks." She hissed. She spun away from the girls, taking a deep breath before whipping her head back again. "And then, you girls come waltzing into my kitchen ten years later like it was yesterday."

"Wait, ten years?" Clover finally found her voice.

"That's impossible!" Sam spluttered, shaking her head.

"We were just here last night!" Alex added. Her orbs were wide with astonishment.

"Wait a second, what year is it now?" Sam suddenly cut in.

"1955." In a calm voice, Margaret replied.

"WHAT?" Three voices cried.

If it was 1955, and what Margaret said was true, they had gone back in time.

_Gone back in time…_

Clover felt like she was going to faint. This was all too much to take in.

Margaret was still looking at the three spies with hostility, but the confusion and disbelievement in the spies' eyes looked truly genuine. She sighed, closing her eyes to calm herself down.

"Sit down." The owner of the farm house finally said. "Start from the beginning."

* * *

**Meanwhile…**

**Present Day (2005) **

8.30am, W.O.O.H.P HQ.

"I've managed to fix the gadget up Jerry." Linda walked into Jerry's office. She looked frazzled. It was obvious she didn't sleep much after Jerry had buzzed her in. "It was missing a couple of parts, but I wagered a guess and filled it up on my own. Take a look."

Jerry received the ray gun and turned it over in his hands. It looked exactly how he remembered it, with a grey nozzle, polka dot disk and a red light at the back.

"No news from the girls yet?" Linda asked in concern. In response, the head of W.O.O.H.P only sighed and shook his head. The girls' X-Powders were the first thing he tried this morning, but there was still no signal. Their only hope would be to dissect the device and figure out what happen.

"Have you tried it? Does it work?" Jerry finally raised his head and asked.

"Yes, I've tried it. I've not dared to try to de-age someone, if that's what you meant. But the ray gun works. I tested it myself."

Jerry stood up and walked to the testing area in his office. Holding the ray gun firmly in his hand, he pointed the device at a nearby wall. The ray that shot out of the nozzle a pinkish ray, the same one he remembered seeing when Alex had zapped them back to their normal ages.

"The colour of the ray is off though." Jerry mused. "The one I saw that…engulfed the girls was a more whitish colour. Any luck of figuring out how it was caused?"

Linda shrugged. "I started by examining the wiring the device. From what I can gather, there was a short-circuit when Alexandra smashed the gun. As to what happened from the short circuit, I have to take a closer look at the interior programming. I just wanted to check to make sure I rewired the thing correctly."

"Well, I remember this pinkish hue definitely. Thanks for your hard work Linda."

"No worries Jerry. We all want the best for the girls." Linda smiled tiredly. "Have you put out a BOLO for them?"

"I've gotten the police force to keep a lookout. They should have gotten in touch by now though…" The prominent worry line on Jerry's forehead deepened.

"They're superspies Jerry. Don't worry."

* * *

**1955, Los Angeles**

"Time travelling?" Margaret had her head in her hands as a wave of disbelievement rushed over her.

"I know it's a bit hard to believe…" Sam said hesitantly. "But it certainly seems that way…" Even Sam had problems accepting what she was saying. Although she was a scientific nerd, she had never really believed in the probabilities of time travelling. It was a complicated concept that would have required the shift of atoms and molecules. _It shouldn't be possible…Then how do you explain where we are now?_

"Could you possibly tell us again what happened, from your perspective?" Clover asked. She was trying to wrap her head around the whole thing as well. "It could give us a clue…"

Margaret sighed, taking a moment to glance at baby Jonathan, who was gurgling happily in Alex's arms. "The first time I saw you girls was in a late night of 1945…" All the anger had left her voice, only confusion remained. "You girls saved my chickens from Danny. I offered you shelter for the night. The next morning, you girls weren't there anymore. It was as if you disappeared, vanished. I never saw you girls again….Until today that is, ten years later…"

"This is not supposed to be possible." Alex whispered. It was all so surreal.

"Time travelling is practically unheard of in this time." Margaret agreed.

"Sammy, what are you thinking about?" Clover looked at her redhead friend, who was deep in thought.

"The only possibly I can think of, is that somehow a time loop was formed when Alex broke that ray gun. That bright light… probably sent us back in time. But as to why we are jumping through ten years at a time, I have no idea." Sam spoke slowly, articulating each thought.

"But that's a good thing, right?" Alex said. "I mean, if we continue jumping through time, we'll bound to land back in 2005..."

"In theory that's true." Sam paused. "But time is a complicated concept."

Sam began to tick of some points with her fingers. "We don't know how long we'll be able to stay in each timeline. We were in 1945 for less than 8 hours. And I don't know if when we jump again, where we will end up in and how long we will stay…And then, there has been some…arguments in the scientific community on the strain time travelling might have on the body…" Sam eyed each of her friend in turn. "There is a possibility that we might not make it back to 2005. Or maybe our bodies will age along with each jump. I don't know for sure really. It is all theoretical as far as I can remember."

"The way I see it…There's nothing we can do about it, but let nature take its' course." Clover commented. Everyone else seemed to agree.

Margaret suddenly stood up, reminded of something. "Oh! That reminds me. I have something that belongs to one of you…Wait here." With Sam's help, Margaret walked-waddled to the master bedroom. When the pair returned, Margaret had a familiar silver locket in her hands.

Clover's hand immediately flew to her neck. The silver locket that she always wore wasn't there. "My locket…How did you get that?" Margaret handed Clover her jewellery back.

"This was the only thing I found belonging to you girls the morning after ten years ago." Margaret sat down before explaining. "It was the only thing that proved that I wasn't hallucinating.

Clover slipped on the locket, relishing in the familiar comfort around her neck. She scratched her head. "Now that I think about it, I think I did take it off last night…" And in her preoccupied state this morning, her locket had slipped off her mind. To Clover, the locket had only been out of her sight for a mere couple of hours. However, the actual fact that the necklace had been away from her for ten years made her grip on tightly to the locket.

"I hope you don't mind…When I found it, I took a look at the inside." Margaret whispered. Clover gently opened the locket. Her parents' smiling face greeted her, making her heart ache. She suddenly missed home so much.

The locket had been a birthday gift from her mother on her eighteen birthday. And on one side of the locket, was an inscription. _22/08/03. _If Margaret opened the locket, then she must have seen the inscription as well.

"I didn't believe in time travel…But I guess the idea crossed my mind once or twice. It was the only possible explanation for the date." Margaret confirmed Clover's suspicions.

There was a moment of silence after that.

"So…What do we do now?" Sam bounced baby Johnathan on her lap.

"Maybe we can familiarise ourselves with our surroundings? Just in case we don't land in your home the next time we jump?" Alex suggested.

"That's a good idea. You girls can take a walk down to the town square. It's market day today, so there's a crowd." Margaret said after mulling things over. "If anyone asks, just say you are some of my distant cousins." She added after some thought.

"That would be good. Thanks Margaret. Could you do us a favour though?" Clover asked. Margaret raised her eyebrows in question.

Clover gestured to her own clothing. These 80s clothing might still look hippy when they are in 2005, but here, they would stick out like a sore thumb. "Do you happen to have some clothes we can borrow?"

* * *

After the girls showered and changed into Margaret's borrowed clothing, they set off for the town square. Each of them wore a simple cotton dress, that were form fitting around the bodice before flaring out at the waist. The dress had either small prints, polka dots or stripes.

"I'm really digging this style." Alex proclaimed as they walked, twirling around in the dress. While dresses wasn't really something the athletic spy would normally wear, the simplicity, beauty and comfort of the clothing really won Alex over. It was about thirty minutes walk to the town square, based on Margaret's instructions.

The girls spent most of the morning exploring the town square, familiarising themselves with any landmarks and the general layout of the place. On market day, the place was buzzing with activity. People of all ages were selling their wares, ranging from vegetables and fruits, to pottery and knitted items.

In the afternoon, the spies returned to Margaret's home. To thanks Margaret for all her help and hospitality, the trio helped around on the farm. Alex took care of baby-sitting, while Clover and Sam tended to the animals and the cornfield.

Once 3pm hit though, the spies were each feeling a little unwell. "I think I need a break." Sam declared, coming to sit down next to Clover in the shade. "I don't feel so good."

"Neither do I…" Clover moaned, grasping at her head. The two spies exchanged looks.

"You don't think it's time for the next jump do you?" Clover said worriedly.

"I don't know, but we better get to Alex." Sam said. If they truly were going to jump through time, they intended to be together when that happened.

In the farmhouse, Alex was also beginning to feel under the weather. Clover and Sam found her in the kitchen, with a concerned Margaret fussing over their friend. Baby Johnathan was no where to be seen.

"You girls too?" Alex said without preamble when she saw how pale her two friends were.

"Yep." Clover sank into one of the chairs at the kitchen table.

"Is it time for the next jump?" Margaret asked, concerned. She sat down, absentmindedly rubbing her swollen belly.

"Could be." This time it was Sam that spoke. "It's been about 7 hours I reckon." The redhead had her head in her hands on the table. She was feeling queasy, and her stomach was churning.

The girls knew the exact moment when they were about to jump through time. A gust of wind suddenly blew, picking up speed with every second. The girls' hair danced along with the wind. In the distance, each spy could make out a bright light coming closer to them. Sam winced, while Alex used her hands to shield her eyes.

Margaret didn't seem to feel the effects of either the light or the wind. But the expectant mother did pick up the sudden changes in the three occupants in her kitchen. She caught the reflection of a bright light in Clover's eyes.

The wind was so strong that the trio couldn't help but grip each other's hands. It felt like the breeze was sucking them up into a vortex.

"See you girls in ten years…hopefully." The last thing the spies heard was the sad sigh belonging to Margaret, before everything went black.

* * *

**1965, Los Angeles, Town Square**

Clover blinked as she found herself in a strange, yet somewhat familiar place. Next to her, Sam and Alex recovered their bearings as well. One thing's for sure, they weren't in Margaret's home any longer.

"Where are we?" Alex scanned her surroundings. Somehow, the buildings and structures rang a bell. Around them, people of all ages walked, going about their day. Judging by the general buzz of the market, it was probably mid-morning.

"Is this…the town square?" Sam spotted a familiar building in the distance. "That's the mayor's office isn't it?"

"Now that you mention it, it is!" Clover snapped her fingers. "This place sure has changed in ten years… I barely recognised it.". Indeed, it was the town square. But new shops had sprung up in their absence, and some older stores redecorated. It was a strange sensation, because to the spies, they had visited the town square less than a day ago.

The spies took a quick stroll around the market. Suddenly, Clover grasped her friends' arms excitedly and pointed.

"Girls look!" Sam and Alex followed Clover's finger, and their eyes sparkled. Nestled away on one corner of the square was a library. From the looks of it, it was a big, brown, two-storey building.

"That wasn't here yester- I mean ten years ago." Alex commented.

"We should check it out. There might be some useful notes and information." Sam said. Although it was only the 1960s, scholarly articles were more and more published. Sam had some hope that they could find something.

The trio hurried up the steps to the library. As they neared the entrance, the double doors were pushed open. A woman with blonde hair walked out, her head in a book. Alex did a double take. "Margaret?"

The woman's head snapped up. "Clover, Sam, Alex?!" Her brown eyes widened with recognition. Unexpectedly, she gave each of the spies a quick hug.

"I didn't expect to see you girls here." She said in a softer voice, once greetings had been exchanged.

In the ten years the spies had jumped, Margaret had aged. She had to be in her late thirties by then. Her blonde hair was shoulder length. She had on a plain pink cotton dress, with sensible flats. Up close, there were more wrinkles on her face and she looked tired.

"We were about to come and see you." Sam said. "What were you doing at the library?"

Margaret simply smiled and held out the book so that the spies could see the title. _The Possibilities of Time Travel. _

"Oh Margaret…" Even the normally chirpy Clover was lost for words. The girls were touched at Margaret's efforts of digging for information. They barely knew each other, yet Margaret's actions spoke volumes.

"I have some notes at home." Margaret volunteered. "I don't know if they will be helpful…But I can show you."

* * *

On the walk back to the farmhouse, Margaret brought the spies up to speed what has happened in her life in the past ten years. The farm wasn't doing very well. Margaret and her husband Ray had plans to sell a portion of the cornfield land. Johnathan was now eleven, Eliza nine, and Desmond was five. To help the family, Margaret had also taken on some sewing work for a factory during the morning hours while the children were at school.

In no time at all, the spies were seated in the familiar wooden chairs in the farmhouse kitchen. The table had clearly seen better days. Specks of paint and carvings were visible on the table legs. But to Sam, the imperfections on the table was the sign of life and family.

Margaret went to her bedroom to grab her notes, and soon the spies were pouring over the notes that their friend had painstakingly wrote out over the years.

Alex couldn't help but rush over to Margaret's side to give the older woman a hug. "Thank you. This is wonderful."

Margaret smiled gently. "I had a lot of time on my hands once the kids started school."

Sam had been skimming through the notes, but was currently reading something intently.

"Penny for your thoughts Sammy?" Clover peered over the table in an attempt to see what her friend was mulling over.

Sam simply sighed, placing the paper on the table so that everyone could see. "It's just something this author Andrew Boyle mentioned…He wrote about a theory called the alternative timeline…"

Margaret nodded slowly. "I read some of his papers. He not only postulates that time travel is possible, but also when a person travels through time, they enter an alternative realm or timeline. Their existence are split between the two realms. This means," Margaret attempted to break things down further upon seeing Clover and Alex's confused look. "That if his theory is right, while time moves forward here for you, the time is also moving forward in 2005 too."

"You mean twenty years have past since 2005?"

"I don't know what this might mean for you girls since you only stay for hours at a time before jumping." Margaret admitted.

"Still…This theory of his is possible to follow up upon." Sam mused. "If time is moving forward in 2005, we need to be prepared for it. And we need to find a way back ASAP."

Margaret nodded thoughtfully. "I'll see what I can do." She promised.

* * *

**Well, that's chapter 2! Any thoughts?**

**Honestly, I don't know much about the concepts of time travelling haha. I just wrote based on my imaginations… Nonetheless, hope you guys are enjoying this!**

**To my anonymous reviewer Sammi: I'm afraid I don't know my posting schedule for this story! If you like you could create a FFN account and have this story on Alert...Otherwise just check back once in awhile! **

**Thanks for all your feedback and reviews for the previous chapter! They mean a lot! **

**Till next time,**

**-TrixieNancy**


	3. Chapter 3

**Winds of Time **

Chapter 3

* * *

**1975, Los Angeles, Margaret's Home. **

Unlike their previous two jumps, the spies landed directly in Margaret's kitchen. The smell of banana muffins baking in the oven overwhelmed their senses.

A forty-something year old Margaret sat alone by the kitchen table, doing a crossword puzzle. She looked up when the girls entered, and a graceful smile spread on her face. "Hello girls." She nodded.

At her age, Margaret had an air of maturity around her. She had put on some weight, and the wrinkles were more prominent. Yet, her body language and facial expression showed nothing but contentment and happiness. The years had been kind to their friend.

"Hey Margaret. You look great." Clover greeted. They took turns to hug Margaret in turn.

"I had a feeling you girls will make an appearance today…" The woman mumbled. "It is always today, ten years apart. I was counting on that, at least."

"Well, we're here." Alex said. It has been surreal, watching Margaret age before her eyes every time they jumped. It was an interesting experience to say the least. Secretly, Alex hoped that she would age as gracefully as how Margaret was doing.

When the muffins were done and cooling, the four women retired to the sitting room. Sam's eyes caught sight of a few framed photographs on the mantle, detailing the stage of growth of Margaret's three children. Johnathan and Eliza had grown up into dashing and striking young adults, while fifteen-year-old Desmond was lanky and tall.

Margaret retrieved her latest notes, and they got to work.

"I managed to get in touch with Andrew Boyle, the author we were talking about the last time? He has told me some fascinating things about his theory…He brought up a couple of case studies (some which I honestly think it's a bit far-fetched), but anyways the main point is there is no concrete evidence to prove that time may be moving forward in the alternate timeline." Margaret handed Sam her notes, who poured over them intently. Everyone waited as the redhead studied the notes.

After a while, Sam looked up. "Truly, there is no evidence…But that doesn't mean we rule out the possibility…" She trailed off. The spies were all concerned about the jumps, and what that would mean when they returned to their own time. The possibility of a life so different from what they remembered when they returned to 2005 scared them.

Sam glanced at Margaret. "It may sound crazy…But I have an idea…"

Margaret returned her look, her brown eye concerned. "If there is anything I can do to ensure that you girls return to your own timeline safely, I'll be happy to help."

"When you reach 2005, in your own timeline…Could you do us a favour and visit someone named Jerry Lewis at W.O.O.H.P?"

* * *

**Present Day (2005) **

**2 days after the girls' disappearance. **

Jerry was busy with the growing mountain of paperwork accumulating on his desk. Things have been a blur ever since the girls' vanished into thin air. Jerry found himself being stretched between organising the mission schedules, hunting down the whereabouts of the LAMOS, and helping Linda to figure things out.

Worryingly, Linda's investigation had come to a standstill. She had been experimenting and tinkling with the ray gun, but without much success.

Jerry sighed, pausing in his work to stare into space. How had things turned out this way? A mission wasn't supposed to cause his spies to be MIA… Jerry couldn't help but be apprehensive. It had already been two days; they would have gotten in touch with W.O.O.H.P already if they could… Had something bad happen to them? His heart ached at that thought.

At that moment, there was a buzz on the intercom, breaking Jerry out of his musings. "Jerry, there is an elderly woman by the name of Margaret Abbot wanting to meet you…" His assistant Matt spoke through the intercom.

"Oh? I don't recall having any appointments today." And truthfully though, Jerry didn't have the energy or will to see anyone right now.

"She doesn't have an appointment boss…But the thing is, she says she has some information about…the girls." Matt whispered the last part softly. One of Jerry's eyebrows quirked up in surprise and curiosity. He had requested the spies' disappearance to be kept under wraps, fearing the alarm it may cause. As of now, only a few of his most trusted agents knew about it, along with the girls' families.

_For someone on the outside to know about the girls, was something suspicious indeed. _

"Alright I'll see her." It only took a split second for Jerry to respond, pouncing at the chance to gather information. Any information would certainly be helpful right now.

"Alright. Would the second-floor conference room be okay?"

"That will do Matt. Thank you." Jerry said curtly, already rising from his chair.

* * *

"Hello." Ten minutes later, Jerry was shaking the hands of the two visitors in the conference room. One of them was a thin, elderly woman with snowy white hair. Although she appeared frail and was wheelchaired bound, her brown eyes still sparkled with energy. She reminded him somewhat of his own mother. The other was a man who appeared to be in his mid-fifties. "Jerry Lewis."

"I'm Johnathan Abbot. And this is my mother Margaret." The man made the necessary introductions and shook Jerry's hand warmly in return.

After ensuring that the visitors were comfortable and had a beverage, Jerry sat down on the opposite end on the conference table. "So…You mentioned that you have some information about Clover, Alex and Sam?" He didn't waste any time beating about the bush.

"Ah yes." The elderly woman murmured. She fumbled in her handbag for a moment, before pulling out a black and white photograph, faded with age. Margaret wordlessly handed the photograph to Jerry.

The head of W.O.O.H.P was completely robbed of his speech when he looked at the photograph. For there were his spies in the photograph with a woman that appeared to be in her forties. Sam, Clover and Alex were clad in turtleneck sweaters and knee length skirts, clearly fashion from the 1970s. Each of them had a contented smile on their face.

"How…" Jerry spluttered, finally lifting his head to meet the brown orbs of Margaret Abbot. Were those really Sam, Alex and Clover? They resembled too much like the spies to be imposters…But yes, Jerry spotted the locket that Clover always wore on her neck…

The hand holding the photograph trembled greatly, and Jerry found himself placing the photograph on the table.

The old woman sat up in her seat and stared squarely at Jerry. "How else do you think?"

"But…time travel?" Jerry's mind was still processing the possibilities. He caught the gaze of Johnathan, whom slowly nodded.

Margaret sighed. "I know this may be very difficult to believe Mr Lewis, but I assure you, whatever I'm about to tell you is very true indeed."

"One day in 1945, I was awakened in the middle of the night to yelling in my backyard. When I checked, there were three girls decked in strange clothing who had stopped my neighbour from stealing my chickens…"

"Impossible…" That was all Jerry managed to say once Margaret had gotten to the end of her tale. Time travel? Although it sounded plausible, Jerry just couldn't wrap his mind around it.

"I thought so too, at first." Margaret answered slowly. "But seeing them again, having not aged a bit, in 1955 really put things in perspective."

Jerry opened his mouth, but no words came out. Johnathan took it as a sign to speak up. "I saw the girls too…Once, when I was twenty-one. Of course, then, I knew them as distant cousins…"

_Flashback: (1975)_

"_I'm back mother!" Twenty-one year old Johnathan strode through the kitchen door. He set the box of tools on the ground next to the door. Johnathan was a handy man that would go around the town to do odd jobs, and his work hours were sporadic. _

_It being barely close to noon, Johnathan wasn't expecting anyone else to be at home besides his mother. His father and sister would be at work, while his youngest sibling at school. Hence, Johnathan was surprised to see three young women about his age seated in the living area with his mother. They were whispering intently, but it stopped the moment Johnathan entered the room. _

"_Oh Johnathan…You're home early." His mother's voice was a pitch higher than normal, but she had otherwise played it cool. _

"_Yeah. I came back to get some extra supplies. Mrs Jenkins' roof is pretty bad…I might need to call Toby to help me." Johnathan casted a curious look at the three other women, who smiled politely at him. _

"_I see…" Upon noticing her son's questioning gaze, Margaret hurriedly made introductions. "This is Clover…she is a distant cousin of yours. And these are her friends Alex and Sam. They were just passing by Oakwood and came by to say hello." _

"_Nice to meet you." Johnathan greeted them easily. There had been no reason to question his mother's claims back then. Clover was of similar built to his mother and had the same blonde hair, so he had naturally assumed his mother was telling the truth. _

"_Nice to meet you too." Clover responded for all of them. _

"_Please, don't let me keep you women from your chat. Carry on." _

"_Actually Johnathan…Do you happen to know if Wilber is around?" _

"_Wilber as in the photographer?" Johnathan scratched his head in thought. "I saw him in town yesterday I think… Why?" _

"_Oh nothing." His mother replied. "We were thinking of having our photograph taken. Just for memories sake." Secret smiles were exchanged among the woman, but Johnathan hadn't read much into it. _

"_I can send you ladies down to town in the jalopy if you want." He said. "If you would just give me a minute to grab what I need." _

"_That would be great, thank you." Margaret clasped her hands together in delight. _

"I sent them to the photographer, and that was the last time I've seen them."

By then, Jerry had recovered enough to think clearly. He had sent for Linda, who had caught the tail end of the conversation.

"That was Sam's plan…To have our photograph taken so that there would be proof that they really travelled through time. Oh, she left you a letter actually…" Margaret fished out the letter from her bag. The envelope was old and yellow. Although the seal was still intact, the creases on the envelope showed how many times Margaret had held the paper.

Jerry took the letter and quickly opened the seal. The familiar handwriting of Sam came into view.

_21 July 1975_

_Hi Jerry, _

_Honestly, I don't even know if this will work…If this all goes according to plan, you should be receiving this letter after we 'disappear', thanks to Boogie Gus' ray gun. _

_If I was a sceptic of time travel at first, I sure am not one any more. Whatever Margaret (or her descendants) says is true. Somehow the ray gun malfunction and we found ourselves back in 1945. So far, we are jumping a decade every eight or so hours. We're all fine, don't worry. _

_I'm not very familiar with the theories of time travel, but I've read enough (and also Margaret has been doing some research) to understand some concepts. Margaret has been kind enough to agree to attach some of her research too. I won't say much but leave it to you and Linda to look through them. _

_What I'm truly worried about, is the process of completing the time loop. Now that Clover, Alex and I have made our mark in the past (no matter how small), to prevent the time travelling from happening all together is impossible. The time gap has been shrinking with every jump Jerry. We stayed for about eight hours in 1945, then almost seven in 1955 and about five hours in 1965. I don't think we'll have a problem trying to travel back to 2005… But, I do worry if we will stay in 2005 once we reach, or we'll continue to jump forward into the future. _

_If the gadget did malfunction in a way that we continue jumping into the future, then the time period which we'll stay in 2005 might be very short… Needless to say, we'll need your help to try and prevent this from happening. As much as knowing the future is appealing, I think the three of us can agree on staying put in 2005. _

_Our X-Powders are still on us; once we land in 2005, we'll make contact with you. See you soon Jerry (hopefully). _

_Sam. _

"Well…This changes everything." Linda purused her lips as she stared thoughtfully at the letter. It was clear that the gears in her head were turning rapidly. "I never thought of time travel."

"Will you be able to get them back safely?" Margaret asked. The concern in her voice couldn't be hidden. It was evident that she was worried for the girls. Jerry couldn't even begin to imagine what the older women must have gone through these years.

"We will definitely try our best." Jerry replied with much more conviction than before. Linda echoed Jerry's statement. He reached over and patted Margaret's hand.

"Thank you Margaret." Jerry spoke sincerely, his pupils dilating and showing his true emotions. "You have been a great help really. We can't thank you enough." Margaret had given them a really good lead indeed.

* * *

**1985, Los Angeles, Town Square**

In the next jump, the spies landed in an alley along the town square. Judging by the sounds around them and the amount of light, it was probably mid-morning. Peering around the corner, the spies took a good look at their surroundings.

Things were starting to look more and more like the Oakwood that they had visited in 2005. The grocer and the post office had a new coat of paint, while Sam spied a familiar bookstore that had caught her interest in 2005.

The dressing too, was something familiar. People were wearing clothes of all colours, and their hair worn large and puffy.

"Pff…If we had first jumped to the 1980s, we would have fitted in perfectly." Clover commented. They were still decked in their outfits from the 1970s, and would look queer among all the colourful outfits. However, people barely gave them a second glance.

Sam was busy calculating something in her mind. "We stayed in 1975 for about four hours." The redhead's forehead was creased with worry. "The time jumps are definitely getting shorter and shorter."

Alex's response was a giant sigh that articulated what all their feelings were. They could only hope that Sam and Margaret's theory was true, and that hopefully, the Margaret of 2005 had managed to seek out Jerry.

"Come on, we should get to Margaret's. See if she has any new information for us." Sam steered her friends towards the familiar road leading to their friend's home.

"Hopefully…" Alex piped up.

Clover's eyes scanned the market place one last time. Her eyes latched onto two familiar silhouettes and her heart skipped a beat. _I must be dreaming…_

"Mom? Dad?"

Before Alex and Sam could react, Clover was already on the move, weaving through the crowds in the town square.

"Clover!" Sam and Alex quickly followed their friend.

Suddenly, Clover stopped in her tracks, quickly huddling herself behind a pillar while gazing at something in the distance. When her friends caught up to her, there were tears brimming in her eyes.

Wordlessly, Alex and Sam followed where her eyes were trained on. They could not conceal their surprise upon noticing Clover's parents Stella and Frank, looking twenty years younger. And Stella was heavily pregnant, supporting the weight of her stomach with one hand as she pointed at something in the shop to her husband.

"Are those…your parents?" Alex whispered in awe. Stella was wearing flashy jewellery and a colourful print dress that Alex knew the woman wouldn't be caught dead wearing back in 2005. To see a de-aged version of Stella was weird, to say the least.

"Yeah…And the baby must be me…" Clover answered. It was July of 1965 afterall…And she was born in August. Her mother would be about eight months along then. Clover took a deep breath to calm herself down. Seeing her parents had triggered a floodgate of emotions that she had been suppressing. Clover was really homesick.

"Oh Clover…" Sam hugged her friend from behind as she watched her friend blink rapidly. "We'll get home soon, don't worry."

"Yeah Clover…Have faith." Alex chimed in from Clover's other side.

"Thank girls." Clover's smile was watery as she watched her parents interact. A minute later, she had composed herself, and the spies were on their way.

It almost felt second nature for the girls to walk the path to Margaret's home. As they walked, they admired the landscape. The general layout was the same, although each time they walked (every ten years), it seemed like more and more houses were being built along the way. What was once flat, farmland had slowly but surely gave way to more homes, giving a sub-urban vibe. The girls could see in the distance though, that Margaret's home was thankfully still untouched. Although the cornfield had been sold, the area was excellent for cow herding.

While they went pass her neighbour's front yard, a middle age woman was planting some bulbs in her front yard. She noticed the girls and stood up, dusting off soil from her pants.

"Hello there." The curly haired woman waved and approached the girls. "Are you girls visiting Margaret?" She cocked her head in the direction of the house at the end of the road.

"Yes we are. We're friends of hers." Sam answered easily.

The woman then sighed before shaking her head. "Such a sad thing, of what happened to her and their family…Margaret needs friends in times like this…" She trailed off, sympathy clear in her voice.

What Margaret's neighbour said made all three spies confused and concerned. What exactly had happened to Margaret and her family? Was their friend alright?

Clover was about to further probe the neighbour for information, but Alex cut in.

"Yeah, she definitely needs some friends at a time like this…Thanks for looking out for her Ms…?" Alex jumped in, silencing Clover with a warning look.

"Oh, I'm Mrs Winters." The woman let out a tiny smile. "Send Margaret my regards. I'll pop by over tonight with some of my chicken stew for her and the children."

"Thank you Mrs Winters. That's very kind of you." Clover answered. The trio of spies bade Mrs Winters goodbye, practically increasing their speed to a brisk walk as they went the rest of the way to Margaret's.

* * *

**Sorry for the delay in updates everyone...Managed to squeeze some time in between school assignments to complete writing this chapter haha. Hope you guys like it! :) **

**Best regards always **

**-TrixieNancy**


	4. Chapter 4

**Winds of Time **

Chapter 4

* * *

Margaret's home appeared normal to Sam, Clover and Alex. Ambling to the kitchen door, the spies were surprised to find that it was ajar. Although Margaret had never locked the door (she had never saw the need to because everyone kept going in and out of the house), she was always insistent on keeping the door closed. She had always emphasized her dislike for having dust and soil being blown into the kitchen where food preparation was done.

"Margaret…?" Hesitantly, Alex gently rapped on the wood. Receiving no response, Alex shared a quick look with her friends before she pushed the door open.

The first thing the spies noticed was that their friend was sitting on one of the chairs at the dining table. She had a faraway look in her eyes as she absentmindedly swirled a mug of cold tea in her hands.

"Margaret?" Sam ventured tentatively, taking a small step forward.

The swirling of the mug stopped. Margaret raised her eyes to meet those of Sam's. "Hello girls." She stated simply. There was barely any emotion in her eyes, and her tone was flat, and full of resignation. Something was clearly not right here.

Without a word, the three superspies settled in the other dining chairs. Clover appraised the older women before her. Margaret was now in her late fifties. Wrinkles and age spots were sprinkled on her face, and she had lost considerable weight since the last the spies saw of her. What was more concerning was the prominent dark eye circles beneath her lids, and the loss of that sparkle in her eyes that the girls were used to seeing.

"Is everything okay Margaret?" Alex took the older woman's hand in hers and squeezed in silent comfort. Margaret only sighed, before shaking her head.

While the spies waited patiently for Margaret to collect her thoughts, Sam's sharp eyes were scanning the room quickly. Although the exterior of the home hadn't change much, the interior certainly looked very different. Random pieces of information flew into Sam's head as she mentally took note of what had changed.

_There is one chair missing… _

_So much food in the refrigerator and on the counter top too…_

_And the photographs on the mantle in the dining room…they are all placed down…What's going on? _

Margaret took a deep breath before speaking. "Ray's gone…He…died a week ago." Her voice grew softer and softer with every word.

"Oh Margaret…" Sam and Clover stood up and moved to the other side of the table to give Margaret a hug.

"I'm fine girls really…I've had time to accept it. It's just difficult…" The widow shook her head sadly.

"How did he…" Alex trailed off.

"Heart attack. He was running errands in the town square... The doctors tried their best but…"Margaret shrugged, her slumped shoulders and dejected face telling the rest of the story. She had no more tears left in her.

"I'm sorry Margaret." Clover squeezed her shoulder.

"Thanks girls…"

The four women settled in a semi-comfortable silence for a moment. Letting her friends keep Margaret company, Alex stood up to get a fresh pot of tea going.

"I'm thinking of moving." Suddenly, Margaret raised her head and met the gaze of the three younger women squarely in turn. "This place, this place has too many memories, both good and bad…" She trailed off, letting her eyes roam around the living room.

"Where will you go?" Sam tried to conceal the panic rising in her as much as she could.

Margaret sighed. "My sister's been pestering me to go live with her, at least for awhile…But I might consider packing up and moving permanently… The kids are grown up and living on their own. And with Ray gone…This house is just too big." She admitted.

"I understand…" Clover nodded sympathetically.

"But I know I mustn't be so selfish…" The older women whispered. "What's gonna happen to the three of you if I DO move permanently?"

The implications of her question hung in the air. Sam let out a hefty sigh. She really didn't know what would happen to them if Margaret moved, for it was unclear as to what rooted them in Oakwood in every jump. Was it Margaret, this home, the town in general or something else?

"I don't know honestly." The red-head's shoulders slumped as she spoke what was on her mind. "I think it's Oakwood that is anchoring us here with every jump, but I can't be sure." Sam paused, allowing her word to sink it. "But neither is it fair for us to let you suffer day in and day out just because of people you see once a year." Sam acknowledged.

"Yeah Margaret." Clover agreed. "It won't be fair, or good for your health."

Margaret only groaned and placed her head in her hands. It was clear that the older woman was overworked, stressed out and tired.

Putting aside her own conflicted thoughts and emotions to Margaret's announcement, Alex gingerly placed a cup of hot tea in front of Margaret before seating down again. "Take some time off Margaret, it will definitely help… As to what you ultimately decide to do, know that none of us blame you for whatever happens."

"I couldn't have said it better than Alex." Clover said, reaching over to grasp Margaret's hand in hers. "We understand. We don't blame you for whichever choice you decide to take and do."

"Besides, we're super agents remember?" Sam managed a weak beam at Margaret. "Dealing with complex situations is what we do best."

* * *

**Present Day (2005) **

"How's it going Linda?" Several hours after the meeting with Margaret and her son, Jerry popped by the Weapons Department to check up on the latter's progress.

"So far so good." Linda did not look up from her computer screen as Jerry walked into her workroom. Her worktable was cluttered with papers in a neat cursive script that Jerry now recognised as belonging to Margaret Abbot. The ray gun was placed to one side. "I'm running some codes to try and determine the exact configuration of the gadget when it malfunctioned." Linda explained. Her fingers flew rapidly across the keyboard for a couple of seconds before she pressed enter.

While the program ran, Linda gave her attention to Jerry, who was scanning Margaret's notes with interest. "Margaret Abbot's notes are very detailed." Linda said matter-of-factly. "She made cross references with multiple authors about theories and possibilities of time travel."

"Anything of interest?"

"Margaret Abbot's notes has helped me confirmed my suspicions that the white light from the ray-gun somehow created a time-space vortex. I'm still working on Sam's concern of jumping through time, but I think if we rewire the ray-gun correctly, we should be able to ground the girls in 2005."

"How sure are you?" Jerry pressed on. He didn't want to pressure Linda, but Jerry did not want speculations when it came to the safety of his spies.

"I'm pretty positive it will work." Linda met his gaze firmly. "But I want some advice from a quantum physics specialist. I have a friend in mind, if you would give me the clearance."

"Consider it done. Contact your friend immediately Linda. We don't have much time to waste." They didn't know how long it would be till the spies contacted them again. Any time they had was precious, and Jerry had a feeling they didn't have much of it.

* * *

**Meanwhile…**

**1985, Margaret's Home **

"What are you thinking Sammy?" Leaning against the kitchen counter, Alex eyed her red-head companion. Sam hadn't moved from her spot at the dining table and had her thinking face on.

"I don't know really." Sam blinked a few times to regain her bearings before she sighed. "I'm just tired I guess." Sam darted her eyes towards the living room where Margaret was currently receiving a guest, before she lowered her voice. "Everything suddenly became so complicated."

Beside her, Clover nodded her head, unsure of what to say. The normally chirpy spy was also subdued and lost in thought.

"We're not even supposed to be here, jumping through time." Sam continued. "And now…I don't even know what's going to happen in the next jump…" The frown lines on her face reflected the amount of stress she was feeling regarding the situation they were in. She collapsed her face in her hands and heaved a great sigh. "I just want to go home."

Alex ambled over to her friend and gave Sam a warm hug. "I know Sammy." They were all feeling the same way, lost, uncertain and yearning to return home, back to 2005.

"Lighten up Sammy. Everything will be okay." Beside her, Clover managed to crack what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "Like you said, we're superspies, right? And we're all in this together. We'll find a way, somehow."

Sam raised her head and smiled at her friend. "Since when did you become so mature huh Clover?"

The blonde scoffed. "I've always been matured; you've just never seen it." Her comment earned a much-needed laugh emitting from both Alex and Sam.

But that laughter was quick to die off, as Alex started to feel a familiar sense of wooziness and fatigue creep up her bones. Her eyes quickly shot to her two friends, who recognised the sensation as well. As an unseen gust of wind picked up, Clover stole a quick glance at the clock on the mantle.

"It's only been three and a half hours…" The blonde commented worriedly.

"Well, whatever it is, looks like it's time for the next jump." Sam shielded her eyes from the bright light that was coming closer and closer to them.

"But Margaret…" Alex trailed off, stumbling away from the light and fighting against the strong wind. The superspy reached blindly to the doorknob that lead towards the living area. She didn't want to leave without saying goodbye. After all the revelations, who knows when they would get to see Margaret again?

Sam understood that, but in her heart, she also knew that there wasn't enough time to say goodbye. Plus, the rational part of her reminded her that Margaret currently had a guest in her living room. Busting into the living room right now would only create more chaos and questions.

With all these in mind, Sam reached over and tugged on Alex's hand, pulling her back towards the kitchen.

"Come on Alex…Margaret will understand." The redhead said firmly.

Alex bit her lip as she met gazes with Sam. The pain in her friend's emerald eyes was something the athletic superspy knew mirrored in her own eyes. It was only a 3 second look, but the depth and meaning behind them spoke volumes to Alex. She stopped fighting, as the hand that was holding onto the doorknob dropped to her side.

The bright light and wind picked up once more, and Alex surrendered herself to the sensation.

_Forgive us Margaret…Take care and we'll see you soon…Hopefully. _

Seconds later, the kitchen was empty.

* * *

**1995\. **

Noise, music and laughing.

That was the first thing that registered in Alex's mind when she regained her senses. Blinking rapidly to adjust her eyes, the superspy found herself standing at the steps of the post office. Balloons, streamers and other decorations hung from buildings to lampposts, giving the atmosphere a cheery look.

Crowds and crowds of people ranging from families to couples were around her, laughing and eating. From her elevated position, she could see many stalls set up along both sides of the street, with many other crowdgoers milling around. Everyone appeared to be enjoying themselves.

_A carnival then._ Alex thought to herself. She craned her head in search for her friends but did not spot them amongst the crowd. Neither were they beside her.

Discreetly, the superspy fished out her X-Powder from her pocket and tested for a connection. No signal. Well, that was to be expected, W.O.O.H.P wouldn't be established until a few years down the road. It was worth the try though.

_And it's lucky that we still landed in Oakwood. _She consoled herself. After so many jumps (and almost always landing in the town square), Alex knew the layout of Oakwood like the back of her hand. Although she was not with her friends, the superspy wasn't too afraid. They would find one another; Alex already had a destination in mind.

Straightening her outfit, Alex descended the steps of the post-office in search of her friends.

"Excuse me, sorry. Pardon me." Alex murmured as she weaved through the throng of people. The carnival was in full swing, as people milled around the booths, tasted food, and played games. Alex quickly sidestepped as two young boys ran past her, playing tag and laughing excitedly.

"This is my kind of carnival." She took in the sight and sounds of the town square. It was small, cozy and reflected the bonded nature of the town. Her mouth watered when she spotted a booth selling waffles, which also made Alex realised how hungry she was. _A quick snack bite couldn't hurt. _She made up her mind quickly.

* * *

"Alex! There you are!" Twenty-five minutes later, Sam and Clover finally caught sight of the final member of their trio hastily jogging over to them. Relieve to see their friend, Sam and Clover walked over to join Alex.

"About time!" Sam's impatient gaze couldn't help but soften when she saw the waffles and fruit pies her friend was carrying. Sam couldn't help but be thankful. For she was feeling quite peckish herself as well.

"Sorry guys! I couldn't help myself! Besides, I was hungry, and I thought you guys might want some food too. And you guys will never believe what happened." Alex said in one breath.

"Sam and I were wondering where you went! But seeing as you brought food, you're forgiven." Clover took the fruit pie that Alex offered her gratefully.

"I'm glad you're okay Alex. We were getting worried there. And thanks for the food." Sam said, biting into a waffle.

Although the three spies had never discussed a meeting point, they had all naturally converged along the road leading to Margaret's home. It was a route they had followed in almost all their jumps, that they had all subconsciously marked it as a meeting point.

"What happened just now Alex?" After polishing off her fruit pie, Clover remembered what Alex had been saying.

Alex swallowed her bite of the waffle and wet her lips before she spoke. "Oh! You guys will never believe who I saw just now!" The awe in her voice was hard to miss.

"Who?"

* * *

**Hey guys I'm back! It's term break now so I'm having some free time on my hands. Hopefully I'll be able to finish this story by the end of this year (and maybe one or two Sam/Scam oneshots?) Will try my best haha. **

**Thanks Cresenta, Boris Yeltsin and Sammi for the reviews! ^^ Always make my day! **

**Till next time, **

**TrixieNancy**


	5. Chapter 5

**Winds of Time **

Chapter 5

* * *

Alex turned to face Sam. "I saw you Sammy!"

"Me?" The redhead pointed to herself in surprise. "I didn't see you. Where were you?"

"Oh, I don't mean you you." Alex clarified quickly. "I saw you. The you that existed in 1995." She eyed Clover. "And I saw you too Clover."

"What?" Shock registered on both Sam and Clover's faces, and they were robbed of speech for almost half a minute.

"Start from the beginning Alex." Clover said urgently.

_**20 minutes ago…**_

"_Thank you so much! These smell heavenly!" Alex took the piping hot waffles from the stallholders hand. They were baked to a perfect, golden colour and appeared very crispy. _

"_You're welcome dearie! Enjoy!" The stallholder smiled kindly. _

_Alex walked away, eyeing the waffles with delight. They smelled so good; the superspy couldn't wait to sink her teeth into them. Licking her lips in anticipation, Alex looked up and quickly scanned the booths around her. Perhaps there will be some finger foods that Clover and Sam would enjoy…_

_Distracted from reading the colourful banners, she never noticed the agile child running in her direction until she suddenly collided with a small body. _

_Startled, Alex nearly lost her balance. If not for her spy training, she would have stumbled and fell. "Sorry!" She heard a young girl squeaked. _

_But by the time she regained her bearings, all Alex could see was a blur of blonde hair blending into the crowd. _

"_Clover! Wait up!" Alex froze, when another young girl weaved her way through the people and stopped just in front of her. This girl had shoulder length red-hair tied in a ponytail. When familiar emerald eyes met her gaze, goosebumps pricked up Alex's spine. _

_The young girl appeared startled at first as she eyed Alex from head to toe. But eventually, she found the courage to speak up. "I'm sorry about my friend. She's quite excited to play some of the carnival games." Shock and curiosity were written plainly in her voice. _

"_Oh, it's alright. No harm done." Alex managed to find her voice. _

_Ten year old Sam sighed in relief as she scanned the crowd as best as her adolescence self could. Alex craned her neck too and spotted someone that looked like young Clover some distance away. _

"_I think your friend is by the ring toss booth." Alex supplied gently, smiling at the younger counterpart of her best friend. Have fun at the carnival." _

"_Thanks." Young Sam smiled back innocently. "You too." _

_Alex watched with bated breath as the young child hurried away, but not before another long curious glance was thrown in her direction. _

"_What are the odds?" The superspy murmured to herself, shaking her head. She may not know much about time travel, but she understood enough to know the dangerous of interacting with one's past self and changing their own fates. Time paradoxes were a confusing thing. _

"_I better find Clover and Sam." The superspy decided, and off she went. _

After Alex recounted her tale, Sam was thoughtful for quite some time. They were currently en-route towards Margaret's home. Thankfully, with the carnival in full swing, they hardly met anyone on the way and thus had the free reign to speak.

"You know, now that you mentioned it, I think I remembered this incident." The redhead spy mused after a while. She turned to face Clover.

"Remember that time I told you I saw someone that looked a lot like Aunt Carmen? And then I was thinking if they were related?" Aunt Carmen was Alex's mother. The girls' parents were also close friends themselves.

"I think so…It does sound familiar though, I'm getting some déjà vu vibes from Alex's story." Clover admitted.

"You guys never mentioned before that you were in Oakwood in 1995." The athletic superspy commented.

"It completely slipped off my mind until now." Clover said. "As a ten-year old, I only associated the carnival with the carnival, and not the town it was in." Sam nodded her head in agreement.

"If memory serves me right, it was the weekend where your family had a wedding to attend Alex. Both of our families decided to drive down on a whim because of the carnival." The redhead added on.

"That would explain why I didn't see my past self." Alex acknowledged.

"But I remember feeling quite strange seeing you. It was like looking at a younger version of Aunt Carmen, although I didn't know then that it was actually an older version of one of my best friends." Sam added. "You know what, I think it was this incident that sparked my curiosity about doppelgangers, which lead me to stumble upon theories of time travel." The redhead mused.

"Well, it looks like that the interaction between the young you and Alex was predestined then." Clover commented.

"Looks that way." After Sam's final comment, the conversation subject changed, as the spies took the final turn along the road that lead to Margaret's home.

Even from a distance, the spies could tell that things have changed. What was once a garden full of flowers and plants had been reduced to only neatly trimmed grass. And while the house remained intact, the exterior coat of paint was a fresh, bright colour. It was a colour the girls knew Margaret wouldn't dream of painting her house in, but it gave the place a very vibrant and cheerful feeling. A feeling of dread welled up in Clover's stomach as she exchanged looks with her friends.

The spies approached the home, not sure of what to expect. The surroundings were quiet; the only things one could hear were the sounds of nature- birds chirping and trees rustling. Alex suddenly stopped in her tracks while climbing up the porch steps. Gesturing for her friends to come closer, she pointed to a sign that hung on the porch near the front door.

_Bea's B and B. _

"Looks like Margaret really sold the place then." Clover broke the tense silence hanging in the air.

A quick peer through the windows yielded a living room that was vastly different from the one the spies were used to. "Looks that way." Sam stood up straight and heaved a huge sigh.

"Maybe they'll know where Margaret is…" Alex mused. Although she knew they didn't have much time in 1995, Alex couldn't help but wonder what was going on with their friend. Her mind just wasn't at ease not knowing how Margaret was.

"Worth a shot." Before anyone could reply, Clover rang the bell.

As the girls pondered upon what to do next, the sound of work boots from the backyard became audible.

"Hello." A moment later, a middle-aged man pushing a lawn mower came into view. He wiped his hands with a handkerchief before approaching the girls. "Alice Eastern and company I presume? Welcome to Bea's B and B." He smiled at them warmly. "Please please, come in." He opened the front door for the girls.

"Oh no, we're not Alice Eastern sorry." Sam was quick to correct him. "My name is Sam, and this are my friends Clover and Alex." The redhead spy made the necessary introductions.

"Sorry for the mix-up." The man said. "We were expecting an Alice Eastern and her cousins sometime today, so I automatically assumed. My name is Travis, and I run the B and B with my wife."

"It's alright. No harm done. This is a wonderful place. It certainly looks homey." Alex supplied.

"Thank you. That's very kind of you." Travis grinned. "So what brings you girls to Bea's B and B? Are you girls hoping to rent a room?"

"Actually, we were just passing by Oakwood, and we decided to call upon an old friend." Clover explained. "She used to live her actually. Her name is Margaret. Margaret Abbot. Do you happen to know her?"

Travis shrugged. "Never heard of her. The previous owner was a lovely young couple but they were the Eatons, not Abbot. How long ago did your friend live here?"

"We last saw her ten years ago. She said she had plans to live with her sister for a bit, and we fell out of touch." Alex said. "Are you sure you've never heard of her?"

"I wish I could be of more help ladies, but my wife and I only moved to Oakwood and bought this place from the Eatons six years ago. I don't know your friend Margaret. I'm sorry." Travis said apologetically.

The girls were visibly crestfallen, but Sam still managed a small smile. "It's alright. Thank you so much for your help nonetheless."

"You're welcome." Travis nodded his head solemnly. "I hope you'll find your friend."

As the spies trudged down the path once more, they shared a despondent look. _Now what?_

* * *

**Present Day (2005) W.O.O.H.P HQ. **

"I think we've got it." When Jerry picked up the phone, Linda's voice sent a new wave of hope coursing through his soul.

"I'll be right over." The head of W.O.O.H.P said curtly before hanging up. Within thirty seconds, Jerry was out the door and striding purposefully towards the Weapons Department.

Upon arriving, Jerry spotted Linda and the physicist Professor Dalton right away. Linda had called in the professor, who was also her friend. He had been all too happy to help and drove down to the lab as soon as he could.

Linda was carrying the weapon in her hand, aiming the nozzle at an apple some distance away. Professor Dalton held a clipboard and a pen, poised and ready to take notes.

"Just in time Jerry." Professor Dalton acknowledged Jerry with a smile and a curt nod.

"You say that you have figured out a solution?" Jerry went straight to the point.

"We think so. Watch this Jerry." Linda cranked a lever on the weapon, allowing the weapon to calibrate to the new settings before she pulled the trigger. A flash of bright light emitted from the nozzle of the gun, heading straight for the apple.

When the light faded away, the apple was gone. Jerry stared unblinkingly at the spot where the fruit had been for a couple of seconds, before he turned to face the other two people in the room.

"I'm not going to even ask how that is possible." The head of W.O.O.H.P simply stated. "So the apple is somewhere in the past?"

"Theoretically yes."

"Theoretically?" Jerry raised his eyebrows at the professor's cryptic reply.

"Well, we have no way of knowing where exactly the apple is." Linda explained. "But when we tested it earlier, the apple took between one to three minutes to return to this exact spot."

As if to prove a point, there was a low grumbling sound, before the apple suddenly materialised once more. Quickly, Linda moved the lever and pushed a couple of buttons on the weapon, took aim, and fired. The light that came out of the nozzle this time was a warm orange one.

When the glow faded, it appeared that nothing happened to the apple. The fruit was still sitting at the exact same spot, looking as pristine as ever. Jerry, Linda and Professor Dalton waited with baited breaths for a minute, then two, then five, then ten.

"It's not going anywhere." Professor Dalton confirmed after some time.

"It would appear so." Jerry straightened up. "But why does it only take between a minute and three minutes to travel through time though?"

"If the apple is truly travelling through time," Linda began. "We think it has to do with the size of the apple relative to a human being. More energy is needed to bring something bigger through time. Perhaps Dalton can explain, he does it much clearer than I do…"

Jerry held up a hand. "The physics details can come later." He said. "But well done you two. Could you show me how the gadget works?"

* * *

**Meanwhile…**

**1995, Oakwood. **

"So…what's our next step?" Alex put out the question tentatively. It was a generic question, but both Clover and Alex turned to Sam for advice and direction. She was the most knowledgeable about time travel among the three of them after all.

After leaving Bea's B and B, the spies had wandered about aimlessly, unsure of what to do next. They were currently seated in a deserted corner of a park in Oakwood.

Sam sighed, putting her head in her hands. "Honestly? I don't know. There are so many loose ends. We've been in Oakwood for about two hours. Who knows how long more we have here? And then what about Margaret? Is she okay? Does she still remember us and our plan?"

"Should we try to contact her?" Clover piped up.

"How?" Alex cocked her head in Clover's direction.

The blonde spy shrugged. "I was thinking we could try asking the neighbours and stuff? Someone is bound to have Margaret's contact details."

"That could work." Sam mused. "We could send her a postcard or give her a call or something. Just to say that we didn't forget her." _I just hope it's not the other way around. I hope she has given the letter to Jerry back in 2005… _

"Let's go then." Alex stood up.

But before Alex could take a step forward, she stumbled as a wave of dizziness hit her.

"Alex!" Clover and Sam were quick to help keep their friend steady, but they caught on right away on what was happening. There was no mistake the wind that was picking up, and the bright light heading towards them.

It was time for the next jump.

And they were heading back to their own timeline.

* * *

**Just one more chapter left! Hope that you guys are still enjoying the story. A big thank you as always for Boris Yeltsin, Sammi and Cresenta for reviewing!**

**Until next time, **

**TrixieNancy**


	6. Chapter 6

**Winds of Time **

Chapter 6

* * *

**2005, Oakwood **

When the haziness cleared from Sam's eyes, nothing appeared different. She glanced around and saw (what appeared to be) the same park, the same trees, and the same environment.

"Did we make the jump?" Beside her, Clover appraised the surroundings with a confused look.

"Well, only one way to find out." Alex supplied, whipping out her X-Powder.

The other two spies crowded around their friend. They waited with trepidation as a connection was established on Alex's X-Powder, before the call was placed to Jerry.

It rang for merely five seconds before Jerry's face filled the screen.

"Alex?" His voice had an uncertain, yet hopeful edge. As the image on the screen sharpened, the head of W.O.O.H.P was thankful to see that, it was truly, his three spies. They were decked in eighties gear, although different from the one that they had been wearing when they disappeared.

"Jerry!" They chorused.

"Are we glad to see you Jer!" Clover added. Relieved smiles were visible on everyone's faces.

"Good to see all of you are well. What's the latest update ladies? Where are you?" His fingers were poised on the keys of the keyboard, ready to type.

"We're in Oakwood Jerry. Specifically, in a park." Alex spoke next.

"Oakwood?" Jerry raised his head from the computer screen in surprise. He was familiar with that place, having sent the spies there on several missions in the past. It was quite close to W.O.O.H.P HQ, perhaps about forty minutes away by jet.

"I'm sending our exact coordinates to you now Jer." Sam had taken out her own X-Powder and pressed a few keys.

Seconds later, there was an audible 'ping' on Jerry's end. He hummed and nodded to show that he had received the coordinates. "We got to work fast ladies. What are your jump frequencies?"

"It's been decreasing definitely." Clover confirmed Jerry's worse fears. "We started with almost eight hours, but we barely stayed for two in the last jump in 1995."

"By my calculations, assuming that whatever essence in the ray was programmed to take us through time, the future included, we won't be here for more than an hour and a half." Sam finished quietly. The implications of her statement lingered in the air.

"Don't worry girls." Suddenly, there was a feminine voice. Linda, the Head of W.O.O.H.P's Weaponry Department, came into view. Jerry had sent her an urgent message the moment the girls contacted him, and she had hurried over just in time to hear the last line of Sam's report. "We've managed to modify the ray gun and tested it too. We'll root you girls to this timeline. Don't worry."

"That's a relief." Alex let out a shaky smile.

"Linda and I are going to hop on a W.O.O.H.P jet to Oakwood immediately. We can't meet you girls in the park though, it's still the middle of afternoon and in a public place. I've sent the coordinates of a secure location to your X-Powder Clover. It's not too far away from where you girls are at. We'll see you girls there." Jerry was furiously typing on his computer.

"Roger Jerry." Clover nodded, the beep of her X-Powder signalling that she had received the coordinates Jerry was talking about.

"Right then, be careful ladies. Keep in touch via X-Powder." Not wanting to waste any more time, Jerry cut the call.

"I'll meet you at the jet in ten minutes Linda. Time is of essence here. Bring the ray-gun and any spare tools that you might need. I'm not taking any chances with this." The head of W.O.O.H.P told Linda firmly.

"Got it Jerry. I'll be fast." Linda nodded her head gravely and hurried out of her boss' office.

Jerry took a few deep breaths to calm his racing heart. His spies were back; now the important thing was to make sure that they stayed in 2005. Quickly, he packed up his things, left a message to inform other W.O.O.H.P agents of his where-abouts, before taking long strides out towards the hanger.

* * *

**Meanwhile…**

Alex closed her X-Powder and traded looks with her friends. Although they were back in 2005, they knew they could not relax until they were sure that they were going to stay in this timeline.

"Well, here we are." Sam said, cutting the silence.

"Here we are." Clover echoed. The blonde spy stood up and dusted off her clothes. As if realising something, she fingered the polka-dot dress with distain. With a press of a button on her X-Powder, her outfit changed into the familiar red catsuit. "Ahh, that's much better." Clover smiled to herself.

Sam and Alex followed suit, glad to be rid of the eye-catching clothing. "Oh, how I've missed this feeling." Alex said, feeling much more comfortable and at ease in her yellow catsuit. Wearing it gave her a sense of comfort and power.

"Let's go then." Sam said. "Which way to the secure location Clover?" Aware that they didn't have any gadgets (or a car), Sam knew that it might take some time for them to get to the secure location.

Time that they might not have.

"Erm…" Clover consulted her X-Powder. "It's about three streets away… This way." Clover lead them out of the park.

"It's so weird to see Oakwood as it is now…" Alex commented bluntly as they made their way into town. While the distinct buildings of the mayor's office and the library still stood, some of the shops the spies were familiar with from the past timeline had been replaced with newer shops and supermarkets.

"I know what you mean." Sam replied. There were noticeably more taller buildings and apartment blocks sprouting up as well.

"I wonder if Margaret ever got in touch with Jerry…" Clover mused out loud as she directed her friends across the town square. It was only late-afternoon, so the town was still buzzing with activity as people ran last minute errands and patronised the shops.

"We'll have to ask Jerry later…" Alex supplied. "Besides, he'll definitely want the full story."

"I'd like to think she did. Honestly speaking, I think our disappearance would still be a mystery if not for Margaret's involvement. We've only been gone for three days. As much as I have faith in W.O.O.H.P's capabilities, the ray gun is one complex piece of machinery. And how did Jerry know about the jump frequencies? It has to be Margaret." Sam said.

"I hope so. Gosh, I hope she's okay. She must be almost eighty by now right?"

"Yea-" But before Sam could formulate a reply, she was roughly pushed aside by a figure, who dashed right past the spies. Sam quickly regained her balance, nearly crashing into a nearby lamp-post.

"Hey! What gives?" She cried out indigently, just as Clover huffed and swore.

But all was explained by the loud shout coming from behind. "Stop him! He took my bag!" The spies turned around to see a young mother with a toddler in her arms, pointing frantically in their direction.

Without wasting a beat, Clover gave chase, sprinting after the tall man.

"Clover!" Sam called, conscious of how time was ticking with every decision they made. But her heart knew that upholding justice was the right thing to do as well. It only took Sam a few precious seconds to make a decision. She dashed after Clover and the thief.

Alex on the other hand, ran over to the young mother and her toddler, who was shaking uncontrollably. Another passer-by was standing next to her, providing silent comfort while she dialled for the police.

"He…He grabbed my bag! My car keys and wallet are in there!" The woman cried in desperation.

"Don't worry mam. My friends will catch him." Alex said with determination.

"The police are on their way miss. Don't worry." The passer-by hung up the phone and added to Alex's comment. "Come, why don't you take a seat over there with your baby?"

* * *

**Meanwhile…**

"Stop him!" Clover's voice rang out clearly down the street as she ran as fast as her legs could carry her. Heads turned and some people tried to intercept the thief, but no one was successful. The snatch-thief was clearly experienced, dodging people easily and pushing away others who were too slow to react. He was fast too; the benefit of having long and lean legs.

Sam was a few strides behind Clover, muttering apologies and quickly checking if people whom the thief bumped into were physically okay, before taking off again.

That was how the spies worked as a team, especially when it came to chasing down criminals in public places. Clover was the most headstrong one, and would chase the criminal down relentlessly (which often paid off). Sam and Alex took secondary roles of ensuring law and order, but also stepped up to apprehend criminals when the need arose.

"Wha-" A plump, middle-aged man carrying shopping bags was caught by surprise when the thief suddenly ran past him. Startled, he dropped his groceries, nearly slipping as a glass bottle of cider shattered.

Clover ran past him, her boots barely missing the glass shards.

"Be careful now sir!" Sam stopped next to him seconds later, guiding him away from the glass shards. Once the passer-by was out of harms' way by the broken glass, Sam helped him to pick up his groceries.

She glanced quickly down the road where Clover's blonde hair could be seen in the distance, knowing that her friend could hold him off for a bit.

_We've got backup coming anyway…_Sam thought as the sound of police sirens came closer. Ensuring that no one was hurt, Sam dashed ahead to intercept the police.

* * *

Both the thief and Clover had picked up the sound of police sirens coming in their direction too.

Eyes widening, the thief ducked into a small alley.

Big mistake.

It was a one-way alley.

Clover skedded to a stop before him, successfully blocking his only escape route. "Looks like the gig is up." She declared, glaring daggers at him.

The man sized her up, before launching himself towards her. He clearly under-estimated Clover's slender built, not knowing that the years of spy-training the latter had. The fight was short-lived.

A minute later when Sam hurriedly entered the alleyway with two policemen in tow, Clover had the snatch-thief pinned to the wall.

"Good job Clover." She breathed.

* * *

**Ten minutes later…**

"Thank you girls. Thank you all so much." The young mother nearly broke down in tears when Clover returned her bag to her.

"You're welcome." Clover smiled, wiping the sweat off her face. "It's what we are meant to do."

"Thank you agents. We'll take it from here." One of the police-officers said. Sam had given the officers a quick-run down of events when she intercepted them earlier, and of course, had also showed the officers their W.O.O.H.P badges.

Alex nodded. "Let's go girls." Suddenly, the trio remembered what they had to do before they were stopped by the robbery.

"Hurry girls! No time to waste!" Sam beckoned for Clover to lead the way as they left the scene. It had been about forty minutes since they landed in Oakwood. "Jerry and Linda should be reaching the secure location anytime!"

* * *

**At the secure location…**

The W.O.O.H.P jet carrying their boss and Linda HAD in fact just reached the secure location. It was an old warehouse, with a large enough open area to land a small jet.

"I don't see any signs of the girls…They should be here by now." Linda mused as she disembarked. Jerry followed her worriedly. Two other W.O.O.H.P agents tagged along behind, carrying the ray gun carefully.

Jerry had asked for extra hands to be around just in case.

The head of W.O.O.H.P checked the time on his watch. "It's only been about 45 minutes since they called me…But they should be here by now. The secure location isn't too far from the park."

"They couldn't have already jumped into the next timeline…Could they?" Linda voiced both of their worst fears.

"No…I'll call them." Jerry already had his pocket 'wallet' out from its place before he finished the sentence.

"Jerry! Linda!" At that moment, Jerry heard a familiar voice called out from behind him. The duo spun around, relieved to see Sam, Alex and Clover hurrying over to them.

"Girls! Thank goodness. We almost thought the worst." Linda said, giving each spy a quick hug.

"Sorry. We got a bit side-tracked upholding justice." Clover replied. She hugged her boss as well, grateful to be seeing Jerry again.

"Stories can be said later." Jerry said. After welcomes and hugs were exchanged all around, the head of W.O.O.H.P straightened up.

"Yeah. Let's get this over with." Sam agreed, motioning for her friends to join her a distance away from their boss.

Linda took the ray gun from the two W.O.O.H.P agents, aiming it at the trio of spies. She cranked the lever and pushed and few buttons. The spies waited with trepidation while the gadget hummed and came to life.

"It certainly sounds right." Alex broke the tense silence. The gadget was making a familiar rumbling sound that was sending déjà vu signals all through Alex's body.

The girls were nervous and scared, but they put on a brave front. Unconsciously, they had laced their hands with each other's and were holding them in tight grips.

"Brace yourself ladies." Linda called out.

_Please let this work…_Jerry thought fervently.

Linda took aim and fired.

A flash of bright light engulfed the spies.

When it cleared, the spies opened their eyes hesitantly.

"Did it work?" Sam wondered uncertainly. She gave herself a glance over, ensuring that all her body parts were still intact. Other than being temporary blinded by the strong light, she didn't feel any different.

"Unfortunately, there isn't exactly a way to test that theory. All we can do is wait." Jerry explained. As if to prove his point, he sat down on one of the crates left in the warehouse. "And in the meantime, you girls can tell us just what has taken place in these jumps."

And that was exactly what the girls did while they waited out the jump frequency. They told Jerry and Linda everything. From arriving in Oakwood in 1965, meeting Margaret, coming up with the plan, to their latest jump in 1995 where Alex had met the younger versions of Sam and Clover.

"Don't worry. Margaret is fine. She's healthy, although wheelchair bound now." Jerry reassured his spies.

"Yes. That was a good plan though. We would have never thought to look at the possibility of time travel if not for Margaret's revelation." Linda added on.

"After all this is over, we definitely should meet Margaret and properly thank her." Alex said.

"Definitely." Clover chimed in. "It's been twenty years since we last saw her. But yet she still remembered."

"Speaking of all this is over…" Sam had been keeping an eye on the clock. "The two hour mark just passed. If we were still affected by the time-jumping we would have jumped by now. I think we're good." She beamed widely.

"Thank heavens." Clover released a huge sigh, the tension leaving her shoulders. "I'm glad to be back in 2005."

"Glad to have you girls back too." Jerry noted. "Now let's get back to W.O.O.H.P so that we can settle the necessary stuff, and you girls can have the break you deserve."

* * *

**Epilogue left!**

**Merry Christmas everyone! I'm glad I managed to get this done by Christmas day haha. Wishing you all a joyous day with your family and friends! **

**Stay tuned for the epilogue! **

**-TrixieNancy**


	7. Epilogue?

**Winds of Time **

Epilogue

* * *

**3 days later… **

"This is the place." Alex double checked the address on her cell phone. Clover cut the ignition of their rental car as the trio of spies got out of the vehicle.

In front of them was a simple, two-storey home. It had a very traditional flair. The roof was grey, with two windows in the shape of a mini house coming out of it. White-washed walls combined with turquoise painted pillars and a pale-yellow front door completed the look of the house. The front yard was immaculate; the grass and bushes short and neat. A few potted plants spotting beautiful yellow sunflowers aligned on the front porch.

"Nice place." Clover commented. "It has the country-side feel.

"Let's go then." Carrying a cake box in her hand, Sam lead the way. They ascended the front porch and rang the doorbell (a bit nervously). The spies didn't have to wait long before the door opened.

"Hello. You must be Sam, Clover and Alex." The woman that answered the door looked to be in her early fifties. She wore a bright smile and was dressed in a beautiful, loose dress.

"Yes we are. You must be Eliza. Hello, I'm Alex. We spoke on the phone yesterday." Alex introduced herself and her friends. It wasn't hard to deduce the woman's identity. For if the spies looked closely, they could spot some familiar facial features on the woman. Besides, it helped that her eye colour was of exact same shade as another woman they were familiar with.

"Yes I am. Welcome. Please, please. Come in." She opened the front door wider in invitation. "Mother has been anxiously waiting to see you."

"Thanks." Clover smiled, and the spies entered the home.

"She's in the sitting room over there." Eliza gestured to her right. "Do you girls want some coffee or would you prefer tea?"

"Tea would be fine. For all three of us." Clover answered for all of them. Sam stepped forward with the cake box. "We stopped by Oakwood on the way over and bought some honey cakes. Your mother used to love them." The redhead superspy smiled.

"Oh, you girls shouldn't have!" Eliza accepted the box. "Is it from Raber's? I remember from my childhood that their honey cakes are the best."

"They still are." Alex piped up. "They are delicious!"

"Thank you girls. I'll put some of the cakes on a plate so we can all share." With another warm smile, Eliza left for the kitchen.

The spies headed in the direction of the sitting room. When they walked in, they spotted an elderly woman sitting on an armchair, and all traces of their apprehension were forgotten.

"Margaret!"

"Girls!" Margaret's eyes lit up as she spotted her long-lost friends. The spies hurried over, and they each embraced the elderly woman in turn. Laughs, tears and more hugs were exchanged.

After it had been confirmed that the spies were rooted in 2005 and the jump frequencies were no longer affecting them, Jerry had whole-heartedly given the girls a week's leave. The spies wasted no time in contacting Margaret, who had invited them to her home for a much-awaited reunion.

"It's so good to see you Margaret." After welcomes had been said, Sam wiped away tears of joy that had been brimming in her eyes. The spies settled down on the couch.

Without a doubt, Margaret was the kind of person that aged gracefully. Her hair had turned snowy white and she was rather unstable on her feet, but her brown eyes still sparkled with life and energy.

"It's good to see you girls too. Twenty years…And I always wondered if we would meet again…" Margaret murmured, clearly emotional.

Alex clasped her hand in the elderly woman's, her thumb running over the pronounced aged spots on the hand. It was hard to imagine what Margaret had experienced. For the girls, less than a week had passed since they last saw their friend in her late fifties. But for Margaret, it had been twenty years of longing, worry and wondering.

"Here we are Margaret. Thanks to you." The athletic superspy said sincerely.

"Yes, thanks to you." Clover added gratefully.

"Oh no…I didn't do much." Margaret was quick to shake her head.

"Margaret…" Sam looked at her friend squarely in the eye. "If it wasn't for you visiting W.O.O.H.P, we might not have been able to find a solution to our jump frequencies before we moved to the future. We're here now, thanks to you. And words can't express how grateful we are to you…For remembering our plan and sticking to it." Sam smiled, and reached out to take Margaret's other hand.

"I had to. I made a promise. And I always keep my promises." Margaret answered simply with a small smile of her own.

"Regardless. Thank you." Clover added her hand on Margaret's lap. Conversation shifted as Margaret's daughter Eliza brought in the tea and honey cakes.

"My older brother sends his regards. He would like to meet you, but he already had a prior afternoon appointment." Eliza told the spies as she settled on the sofa across from the girls.

"Johnathan came with me to Los Angeles." Margaret explained. "And he went to W.O.O.H.P with me as well." It was understandable. Margaret was currently living in a neighbouring city, so travelling with a companion was necessary. And at her age, it was also better to have a chaperon, just to be on the safe side.

"Oh. I see. Send him our regards and thanks as well." Alex answered. She reached over to pick up the platter of honey cakes and held in front of Margaret. "We bought you something actually. Honey cakes." The athletic superspy shared a secret smile with her friends.

"We swung by Oakwood on our way here." Sam added on.

"It's from Raber's mum. You remember the cake shop in Oakwood? We used to love their honey cakes." Eliza supplied.

"I haven't had these in ages." Margaret mumbled, picking one of the cakes up and examining them. "I can't believe they are still in business…Thank you, girls, that was very nice of you." She took a delicate bite. "And they are just as nice as I remembered."

* * *

Alex, Clover and Sam had spent several long hours in Margaret's home that day, grateful for the opportunity to meet and catch up with someone that was close to their hearts. On Margaret's part, meeting with the girls allowed for some closure. And she was beyond relieved that the spies were okay.

The girls made the journey back to Los Angeles with lighter hearts, but also with an underlying understanding that it was the end of another adventure.

"Ahh. There's still no place like home." Clover declared once they arrived back at their villa. She immediately kicked off her shoes and flopped on the couch, glad to be home.

"I second that." Sam said, placing her overnight bag to the side and headed to the kitchen for a drink of water.

"Honestly, while time travelling was fun…I'm glad it's' over." Alex took a seat next to Clover.

Clover had picked up the remote and was about to turn on the television, when suddenly, there was a low, rumbling sound, and a flash of bright light. Instinctively, they shielded their eyes with their arms.

"What's going on?" The déjà vu moment wasn't lost on Clover as fear creeped up her bones.

"Sammy!" Alex cried out for their friend who was in the kitchen.

On hearing Alex's cry for help, Sam came running into the living room from the kitchen. She stumbled at the doorway when she saw the bright light coming towards her. _Not again!_ She thought in fright.

When the light and rumbling sound faded away, gasps left the spies' lips.

Standing in their living room, right in front of the television, was a little girl. She couldn't be more than four years old, had a heart-shaped face, and dark red hair tied up in a ponytail. She wore a pair of blue jeans and a simple pink t-shirt.

At first the little girl appeared disoriented to her surroundings, but she quickly adjusted. "Aunt Alex! Aunt Clover!" Seconds later, Clover and Alex were accosted by the little form. On closer inspection, the girl had green eyes that was a shade that resembled sea-foam green.

"Hi sweetie! What's your name?" Alex spoke to the girl. It appeared that the young girl knew who they were, so Alex was just going to play it by ear.

"I'm Hilary Aunt Alex! Don't you know who I am?" The little girl answered, clambering onto the couch.

Before Alex could reply, the little girl noticed Sam. The red-head superspy was staring unblinkingly at the little girl who said her name was Hilary. "Hi mummy!" She waved enthusiastically at Sam while still in Alex's embrace.

_Mummy?! _Clover and Alex looked at one another in shock, before simultaneously turning to look at their best friend.

If possible, all colour drained from Sam's face.

_Mummy? How's that possible? _Sam's mind was racing. _I would know if I had a child. Especially one that is as old as her…_

Clover channelled her gaze between Sam and young Hilary. _It sounds crazy, but I see the resemblance actually…Same hair, same face shape…_

But, just as sudden as the little girl had appeared, there was another flash of bright light, and she was gone.

Sam had gone into full on protective mode after the little girl vanished and instigated a search through the entire villa. The search proved futile, and the spies finally reconvened in the living room.

No one said a word for a full minute as the trio of spies merely stared at one another.

"Did what I think happen really happen?" Alex finally whispered.

"We all saw it…" Sam replied, confusion laced in her tone. In her mind, she kept hearing the little girl's sweet voice in her head calling her 'mummy'. _And her name is Hilary…I always wanted to name my future child Hilary…what are the coincidence that her name would be that? And she called me 'mummy'… What if…_

"Did we just encounter a time-traveller?" Clover seemed to reach the conclusion at the same time Sam did. It made perfect sense, especially considering the familiar rumbling sound and the flash of bright light.

Another lull of silence.

"I think we need to call Jerry." Sam decided, reaching over for her X-Powder.

_The End?_

* * *

**Hmm…I wonder who Hilary's parents' are. *grins at all Sam/Scam fans out there.* **

**The ending just kinda developed as I wrote; I initially wasn't going for such a 'cliff-hanger' type ending haha. Damn. I was hoping to have some closure for this story but ended up writing a new plot into it. Whoops. I hope you guys like it though. **

**I don't think I would do a sequel to this though, at least not in the near future. **

**It's been a fun journey writing this, thank you so much for all your reviews and support throughout! Especially Sammi, Cresenta and Boris Yeltin; I really appreciate your constant support! **

**Happy New Year in advance everyone, and have a blessed year ahead! **

**Until my next story! (Hopefully soon haha) **

**-TrixieNancy **


End file.
